Roche Schulfer News

In a unique addition to its upcoming 2018/2019 Season, Goodman Theatre and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) will present the U.S. premiere of Mendoza by Los Colochos of Mexico City-the latest in a 30-year history of premiering works by prominent local, national and international Latino playwrights and theater companies. Mendoza is presented as part of Destinos-the 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, a seven-week festival of Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America in shows, panels and student performances at venues citywide. A radically reimagined adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Mendoza is a tale of ambition, blood and power by Antonio Zuñiga and Juan Carrillo, directed by Carrillo and presented in Spanish with English supertitles. The limited engagement of Mendoza appears October 2-7, 2018 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($25-32; subject to change) go on sale Friday, August 24 by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/Mendoza.

Goodman Theatre and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) present the U.S. premiere of Mendoza by Los Colochos Teatro of Mexico City, appearing in a limited engagement October 2-7 at the Goodman. The production is produced as part of Destinos-the 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, a seven-week festival of Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America in shows, panels and student performances at venues citywide. An adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Mendoza is a thrilling, fast-paced and blood-soaked ensemble production by Antonio Zuñiga and Juan Carrillo, directed by Carrillo and presented in Spanish with English supertitles. The limited engagement of Mendoza appears October 2-7 (Opening Night is October 2) at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); Tickets ($25) are available by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/Mendoza. Destinos takes place through November 4; complete festival programming and ticket information available at www.clata.org. Chicago Community Trust is the Sponsor Partner of Mendoza and Corona Extra is the Official Beverage Sponsor of Mendoza and Destinos. NOTE: this production contains a live animal and is intended for mature audiences.

Event committee co-chairs Ken Fulk,Robina Riccitiello, and Jeff and Laurie Ubben, and honorary artistic committee co-chairs Uma Thurman and Josh Lucas, are proud to announce American Conservatory Theater's (A.C.T.) fall celebration welcoming new Artistic DirectorPam MacKinnon and new Executive Director Jennifer Bielstein.

Goodman Theatre's commitment to new works and emerging artists continues in its 2018/2019 Season. Today, the Goodman named four Chicago-based writers to its Playwrights Unit-Georgette Kelly, whose play Ballast was featured on The Kilroys List and received the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding New Play; Dianne Nora, a playwright, dramaturg, theater scholar and comedy writer who works in Chicago, Brooklyn and Dublin; Marisela Treviño Orta, semifinalist for the 2018 O'Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference and 2019 Kendeda Finalist (Alliance Theatre); and Stacey Rose, whose work has been presented at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, National Black Theatre and more. The Playwrights Unit, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists, meets bi-monthly to discuss their commissioned plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team. The residency culminates in a public staged reading of each new play in Summer 2019. 

Casting is complete for the three "developmental productions" featured in Goodman Theatre's 15th annual New Stages Festival-a free celebration of new works by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights. These three plays, which are staged in repertory following two weeks of rehearsal, include There's Always the Hudson by Paola Lazaro-Muñoz, directed by Jess McLeod; Felons and Familias by Sandra Delgado, directed by Marcela Muñoz; and Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle, directed by Danya Taymor. Developmental productions are designed by Kevin Depinet (Set), Noel Huntzinger (Costumes for There's Always the Hudson and Graveyard Shift), Birgit Rattenborg Wise (Costumes for Felons and Familias), Jesse Klug (Lights) and Richard Woodbury (Sound).

Obie Award-winning "spellbinding storyteller" (Los Angeles Times) David Cale returns to Goodman Theatre three decades after his debut (1988's The Redthroats) with his newest work, We're Only Alive For A Short Amount of Time-launching the Goodman's 2018/2019 Season.

Dael Orlandersmith, "an intense poet, writer and intellectual" (Chicago Tribune), brings her newest work, Lady in Denmark, to the Owen Theatre. Reuniting with director Chay Yew (Black n Blue Boys/Broken Men, 2012), Orlandersmith's world premiere production is a reflection on love and adversity starring stage and screen actress Linda Gehringer in a 90-minute solo performance. Helene (Gehringer) is a Danish American woman coping with the death of her husband who finds solace in the hauntingly beautiful music of their favorite singer, Billie Holiday. This is her journey through the couple's time together-from the smoky jazz clubs of post-war Copenhagen to the home they shared in present-day Chicago. Lady in Denmark is one of five world premieres this season, all originally developed as a part of the Goodman's New Stages Festival. The creative team includes Andrew Boyce (set), Christine Pascual (costumes), Lee Fiskness (lighting) and Mikhail Fiksel (original music and sound). Donald E. Claxon is the Production Stage Manager. Lady in Denmark appears October 19 - November 18, 2018 (opening night is October 29 at 7pm) in the Goodman's Owen Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($15-45; subject to change) go on sale Friday, August 31, by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/LadyInDenmark.

Goodman Theatre celebrates teaching, learning and transformation with its "Igniting Imagination: The Art of Great Teaching" Education and Engagement luncheon on Thursday, September 20. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and educator Paula Vogel will join Walter Director of Education and Engagement Willa J. Taylor in conversation about art of teaching and importance of mentorship in shaping young minds.

In a unique addition to its upcoming 2018/2019 Season, Goodman Theatre and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) will present the U.S. premiere of Mendoza by Los Colochos of Mexico City-the latest in a 30-year history of premiering works by prominent local, national and international Latino playwrights and theater companies. Mendoza is presented as part of Destinos-the 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, a seven-week festival of Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America in shows, panels and student performances at venues citywide. A radically reimagined adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Mendoza is a tale of ambition, blood and power by Antonio Zuñiga and Juan Carrillo, directed by Carrillo and presented in Spanish with English supertitles. The limited engagement of Mendoza appears October 2-7, 2018 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); tickets ($25-32; subject to change) go on sale Friday, August 24 by telephone 312.443.3800 or online GoodmanTheatre.org/Mendoza.

This fall, Goodman Theatre presents its New Stages Festival-a free annual celebration and discovery of new plays by some of the country's finest established and emerging playwrights. Audiences experience a first look at seven new works-including three fully staged developmental productions (performed in repertory) There's Always the Hudson by Paola Lazaro-Muñoz; Felons and Familias by Sandra Delgado; Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle. In addition, four staged readings appear during the last weekend of the festival (October 4-7) including The Wizards by Ricardo Gamboa; Between Covers by Sarah Schulman; Birthday Candles by Noah Haidle; and Cressida on Top by Paula Vogel.

More than 60 Chicagoland students make their Goodman Theatre debut on the mainstage to conclude summer programming-PlayBuild Youth Intensive and Musical Theater Intensive-on August 10 and 11 at 7pm. The free programs were taught over a course of seven-to-eight weeks in the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement.

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free staged readings written by members of its Playwrights Unit-a year-long residency for Chicago-based writers to develop their plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists. Members of the 2017/2018 Playwrights Unit include Sam Collier, Ricardo Gamboa, Isaac Gomez, Kristin Idaszak and Nigel O'Hearn. Free, one-time-only readings take place July 14-18 at Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn); to make a reservation call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/PlaywrightsUnit. Availability is extremely limited.

Goodman Theatre announces a line-up of free staged readings written by members of its Playwrights Unit-a year-long residency for Chicago-based writers to develop their plays-in-progress with the Goodman's artistic team, in partnership with Chicago Dramatists.

The League of Chicago Theatres held the 2018 Annual Gala, an elegant event that brings together friends of Chicago theatre to raise funds for programs to support Chicagoland's more than 250-member theatre companies. The event, which had 245 attendees and raised $125,000, was held on Monday, May 21, 2018 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 E. Delaware Place. 

Goodman Theatre is pleased to announce the "Disney Musicals in Schools" Student Share Celebration, featuring nearly 200 students from five Chicago schools performing for their classmates, families and community members.

The world's changing, bro. This summer, Goodman Theatre premieres Support Group for Men, a new comedy by Ellen Fairey, directed by Kimberly Senior. Fairey, whose work has been hailed 'a must-see for anyone who follows important new plays' (Chicago Tribune), explores shifting social and gender roles through the lens of four men who gather every Thursday night to vent about middle-aged maladies.

Goodman Theatre announces the cast and creative team for the Chicago premiere of Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Niegel Smith. Parks, in her "finest work yet" (New York Times), serves up "an American story as much about our present as it is about our past" (Los Angeles Times). Filled with wit, poetry and original music composed by Grammy Award winner Justin Ellington and performed on stage nightly by Chicago native blues musician Melody Angel, the production follows Hero (Kamal Angelo Bolden), a Texas slave, who faces a simple yet monumental choice: join his master in the Confederate army to win his freedom-or remain enslaved at the plantation. Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) appears May 25 - June 24, 2018 (opening night is June 4 at 7pm) in Goodman Theatre's 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre. The estimated run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes. Tickets ($10 - $40; subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Father , by phone at 312.443.3800 or at the box office (170 N. Dearborn). The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation is the Major Production Sponsor and American Airlines is the Contributing Sponsor.

From internationally-celebrated novel, to world-premiere stage adaptation, to groundbreaking online event. Late Chilean author/poet Roberto Bolaño's 2666, co-adapted and co-directed by Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls and Chicago-based playwright Seth Bockley, is now streaming.

Goodman Theatre celebrates the lives of "two strong, vibrant women dispensing joy and wisdom" (Chicago Tribune) in a major revival of Emily Mann's Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years. Directed by the Goodman's longtime Resident Director Chuck Smith, the production features Ella Joyce and Marie Thomas as the Delany centenarians, Bessie (1891 - 1995) and Sadie (1889 -1999), respectively. The sisters were discovered in 1991 when Amy Hill Hearth interviewed them for The New York Times. Following the article, the trio co-authored the book, Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years-a New York Times bestseller and heartfelt reflection of their family history and triumphs over prejudices in times of social unrest. Mann adapted it for the stage, first at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey and then to Broadway, where it ran for 317 performances. Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years appears May 5 - June 10, 2018 in the Albert Theatre (opening night is Monday, May 14). Tickets ($20 - $75; subject to change) are now on sale at GoodmanTheatre.org/HavingOurSay, by phone at 312.443. 3800 or at the box office (170 North Dearborn). ComEd is the Major Corporate Sponsor, Conagra Brands Foundation is the Major Production Sponsor and ITW and PwC are the Corporate Sponsor Partners. 

A collective of perspectives. A public outcry. The establishment of a movement. This month, two new plays- Until the Flood by Dael Orlandersmith, directed by Neel Keller and florissant & canfield by Kristiana Rae Colon, directed by Derrick Sanders-bring a national dialogue to the stage.